BOURNEMOUTH Borough Council had admitted that it's been forced to implement 'additional measures' to stop 'rooftopping', the reckless craze which sees youngsters risk their lives climbing onto the town's roofs.

After four rooftoppers were filmed brazenly playing around on the Town Hall roof on Sunday, Brian Cherrett, the Town Hall Facilities Operations Manager said: “In recent years, we have implemented a number of additional measures to prevent this kind of dangerous behaviour. We will continue to carry out regular reviews into our security and building access.’’

The young men involved in the Town Hall incident were located by police, walking in Avenue Road.

However, despite stating that they could have been 'seriously injured or killed' Neighbourhood Inspector Jon Wasey said the youths were not arrested but 'words of advice' had been given.

"While such antics may be seen as amusing or thrill seeking, they can end in tragedy so I'd urge this activity to stop before someone is seriously injured or killed," he said.

Rooftopping has become an increasing problem in Bournemouth Town Centre with young people posting videos online showing their exploits.

In January rooftoppers who got onto stores along Old Christchurch Road were marched off the site by security staff. But not before they filmed themselves inching along crumbling window ledges, sliding down slate roofs and jumping across seven-story gaps between buildings.

In April last year 13-year-olds published footage of their invasion of the roof of Poole's Lighthouse Theatre and the Echo is aware of other incidents.

Former Southampton University academic Dr Bradley Garrett, studies cultural geography and has studied the development of "rooftopping" - from its roots in the US to high profile stunts in China and Russia.

In an interview he said: "Most rooftoppers develop a kind of tunnel vision - seeing a metre-wide beam as no different than a meter-wide pavement. You would not fall off the pavement so why would you fall off the beam?"